Castles!- Large Photos

[DonaCatalina]

Convento de Cristo in Tomar, Portugal, was originally a Templar stronghold built in the 12th century.
Map coordinates 39.603889, -8.419167
The castle of the Knights Templar of Tomar was built by Gualdim Pais, provincial Master of the Order of the Temple, around 1160. After the Order of the Knights Templar was dissolved in the 14th century, the Portuguese branch of the order was turned into the Knights of the Order of Christ, which supported Portugal's maritime discoveries of the 15th century.

[DonaCatalina]

Enisala is the site of a fortress, called Heracleea,  dominating nearby lakes (previously gulfs) of Razelm and Babadag, in Romania.
Map coordinates 44.884095, 28.835164
Dated to the late 13th century, it was built either by the Genoese or the Byzantines to control the travel routes that passed through the region. The fortress' three hexagonal towers are the only of this type found in the whole region of Dobruja, and have been interpreted as a sign of a Western origin of the builders.

[DonaCatalina]

Kalemegdan is a castle in an urban area neighborhood of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia.
Map coordinates 44.8236, 20.4503
First mention of the city is when it was founded in the 3rd century BC as "Singidunum".  The city-fortress was later conquered by the Romans. The Byzantine Emperor Justinian I rebuilt the Fortress around 535.

[DonaCatalina]

Renaissance Romance weekend made me want to go to France.
Chateau de La Ferte-Milon is a castle, built at the initiative of Louis d'Orleans in the fifteenth century , but left unfinished.
Map coordinates 49.174138, 3.124775
The eraliest mention is of a castle in La Ferte-Milon from the ninth century, held by the Count of Valois. This earlier structure was demolished to make way for what Louis obviously intended to be a grand castle.

[DonaCatalina]

The castle of Biely Kamen in Slovakia was mentioned for the first time in 1217.
Map coordinates 48.261148, 17.196327
It was the seat of the counts of Svaty Jur until 1609, when they moved to a more comfortable manor house in the town.

[DonaCatalina]

Castillo de San Pedro, also known as the Citadel of Jaca is located in the town of the same name, province of Huesca, Spain.
Map coordinates 42.572441, -0.552328
The origins of the city are obscure, but its name apparently reflects the Iaccetani, mentioned by Strabo. The Moorish writers mention Dyaka as one of the chief places in the province of Sarkosta (Zaragoza). When it was reconquered is unknown. Ramiro I of Aragon (1035 - 1063), gave it the title of "city," and in 1063 held within its walls a council. Rebuilt in the late 16th century, construction was entrusted to Tiburcio Spanochi, Italian-born engineer in the service of Philip II.

[DonaCatalina]

Glenbuchat Castle is an historic Z plan Scottish castle built in 1590 for John Gordon of Cairnbarrow to mark his wedding.
Map coordinates 57.2194, -3.0018
Both the castle and the surrounding land are now managed by Historic Scotland.

[DonaCatalina]

Schloss Kasteln is a castle in the municipality of Oberflachs in Canton Aargau, Switzerland.
Map coordinates 47.442181, 8.118875
About 1200 the original fortress Kasteln was built in the middle Schenkenberger valley, a few kilometers away from Schenkenberg Castle. In 1238 the castle is first mentioned in a deed of gift to the residents of the castle who were vassals of the Kyburgs.

[DonaCatalina]

Schloss Kasteln is a castle in the municipality of Oberflachs in Canton Aargau, Switzerland.
Map coordinates 47.442181, 8.118875
About 1200 the original fortress Kasteln was built in the middle Schenkenberger valley, a few kilometers away from Schenkenberg Castle. In 1238 the castle is first mentioned in a deed of gift to the residents of the castle who were vassals of the Kyburgs.

[DonaCatalina]

Vik Castle (older spelling Wik) is situated in the province of Uppland, Sweden.
Map coordinates 59.736111, 17.461780
Fold (Vihc) is first mentioned in 1303 that manor for Ramborg Israel's Daughter ( And ) and in 1315 for her husband Arvid Gustavsson (Sparre of Vik) ).

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Fakhr-al-Din al-Ma'ani Castle or Palmyra Castle is a castle on a high hill overlooking the site of Palmyra, Syria.
Map coordinates 34.562778, 38.256944
The castle was probably built by the Mamluks in the 13th century, and was surrounded by a moat, with access only available through a drawbridge. Palmyra is an incredibly ancient site with ruins dating back centuries before Roman conquest.

[darkranger]

don't you just want to move into any one of those, I do!!

[DonaCatalina]

Sudak is a castle and town of the same name in the Ukraine.
Map coordinates 44.841216, 34.957629
The Seljuk Anatolian Sultanate of Iconium army and fleet from Sinop held and fortified Sudak in 1224. The Venetians also came to Sudak at the beginning of the 13th century to take their share, naming the fortress Soldaia, before ceding it to Genoese control in 1365.

[DonaCatalina]

Llansteffan Castle is a castle overlooking the River Tywi near the village of Llansteffan in Carmarthenshire, Wales.
Map coordinates 51.765637, -4.390566
The castle sits on a much older Neolithic promontory fort, proving Llansteffan has been inhabited, and perhaps of strategic importance, since the New Stone Age. The original earthworks can still be seen and were used as part of the modern castle's defence system--the castle proper rests within the earthwork rings.

[DonaCatalina]

Butrint Castle, also known as 'The Triangular Fortress' is on Corfu Island, Albania. Built under Venetian dominion sometime after 1386 and before 1490, it provided a stronghold for the Venetians on Corfu to exploit fishing, grazing, olives and timber in and around Butrint.
Map coordinates 39.742616, 20.020020